Minister rejects Burnham’s call for better investigations

A Cabinet minister has rejected Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham’s calls for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs, while leaving the door open to a future investigation.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she disagreed with Burnham’s support for a fresh investigation into historical child sexual abuse in areas including Oldham and Rochdale in Greater Manchester.

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have backed tech billionaire Elon Musk’s call for a new national inquiry.

But Labor ministers have said their priority is to implement the seven-year 2022 recommendations Investigation into child sexual abuse led by Professor Alexis J.,

On Wednesday MPs voted against a Tory move to launch a fresh national inquiry.

burnham told BBC Radio Manchester He thought there was “a case for a limited national inquiry based on the reviews that I initiated, and which we saw in Rotherham, which we saw in Telford, to tease out and force some of these national issues.” People will have to provide evidence, after which charges can be leveled and held accountable to answer.”

Asked about it on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Nandy, MP for Wigan in Greater Manchester, said: “I see what Andy is saying.”

He said he was demanding a smaller investigation into the specific issues that he had instigated and that he could not raise.

The Culture Secretary described it as “surprising” that some Greater Manchester Police officers had refused to take part in that local investigation and could not be forced to do so.

But, she added, she did not agree with Burnham, because the Jay inquiry, set up by Theresa May’s government, had taken evidence from thousands of victims and addressed the issues they raised.

“That investigation found what every investigation has found, that young girls were not believed because they were young, they were women, and they were working class, and the systems that were supposed to protect them failed them.” Instead of protecting the brave ones, they protected themselves and the young victims,” Nandi said.

He denied that the government was “different” with Burnham, saying that the whole point of devolution was that “we want to make sure that people’s views from across the country are heard”.

Asked whether the Government was ruling out another investigation, Ms Nandy said: “I think people have heard from us that there may be another investigation at some point in the future, because child abuse by its nature is hidden. What happened is secret, and, at various points, I’m sure more will come to light about the scandals we’ve heard about.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Monday Said the government would begin implementing Professor Jay’s call for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuseMore details will be provided in the coming weeks.

The Prime Minister has warned that launching a further investigation could delay action on tackling child sexual abuse, although he said there was no “definite view” among survivors on whether one was needed. Or not.

On Wednesday, the Commons rejected a Conservative amendment to the government’s Children’s Welfare and Schools Bill calling for another national inquiry.

The Tories accused Labor MPs of “turning a blind eye to justice” for victims of grooming gangs.

The bill, which includes measures aimed at protecting children and stricter rules around home-schooling as well as changes to academies, would have been killed if MPs had voted through the Tory amendment.

Burnham said that although he supports a limited, new investigation, MPs are right to reject Conservative “opportunism”.

Ministers have suggested that they are keeping an open mind about future investigations, including implementing Professor Jay’s recommendations if it becomes clear that survivors want this to happen.

But Nandy said he had spoken to survivors who had given evidence to the Jay Inquiry and his confidence in the process of taking concrete action was beginning to wane.

“We can’t possibly ask victims to do that again when not one of those recommendations has been implemented.

He said, “Our message to the victims is that we understand the time for action is too late and we are taking action. The time for talk is over, the time for action is now.”

However, he said the government was not ruling out a future investigation “because child abuse is by its very nature hidden, it is covert, and, at various points, I’m sure the scandals we’ve heard about. More things will come to light.” ,